The Laurel City Council voted Tuesday morning, March 17 to okay the construction of the 2020 Overlay Project and accept the $1,598,133.90 bid from Walters Construction Co., Inc. to complete the project.
According to Ward 4 Councilman George Carmichael, Phase I should begin around April 15 and will include overlaying 5th Avenue from 24th Street north to the city limits, and 24th Street east to Hwy 11. Phase II, which will be done at a later date, will include overlaying 5th Avenue from 24th Street south to the downtown area.
Carmichael explained the reason they are starting the overlay project in the northern section of 5th Avenue rather than the southern section toward downtown is that they are still dealing with substructure issues. The substructure issues in the north section have been resolved.
Carmichael and a couple of residents of 5th Avenue met with the Impact Tuesday morning at a section in the 2700 block of 5th Avenue where the road is pitted with potholes.
Pastor Cecil J. Ashford, a resident of the 2700 block of 5th Avenue, pointed out how vehicles would swerve into his driveway and yard to avoid the potholes.
“I’ve been around here for about thirty years,” explained Ashford. “They’ve been patching this place up for years, and I thought we were headed for another patch job. I see now that it’s going to be done right. They’ve fixed all the pipes, and now it’s ready to be paved.”
He added that he hoped everyone would be patient and understand that it will happen. “For years, we’ve been putting up with this. At least we know that the city has approved this and we will move forward.”
“Thank God they’re doing something,” exclaimed Cynthia Rahaim, another resident of the 2700 block of 5th Avenue. “We appreciate our council and our mayor. They did it right. I’ve lived here just about all my life, and I’ve never seen it done this well. I’m looking forward to smelling asphalt.”